Retaining means for securing fabric on the playing surface of a pool table



C. MILU RETAINING MEANS FOR SECURING FABRIC ON Aug. 26, 1969 THE PLAYING SURFACE OF A POOL TABLE Filed July 19, 1967 United States Patent RETAINING MEANS FOR SECURING FABRIC ON THE PLAYING SURFACE OF A POOL TABLE Charles Milu, Hialeah, Fla., assignor to All Tech Industries, Inc., Hialeah, Fla., a corporation of Florida Filed July 19, 1967, Ser.-No. 654,508 Int. Cl. A6311 15/06 U.S. CI. 273-7 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The construction for securing the fabric covering on a pool table playing slab in which a downward depending groove is provided in the four marginal sides of the frame of the table adjacent the edges of the slab and a marginal portion of each side of the fabric is folded around splines which are forced into mating grooves to stretch and tightly secure the fabric onto the surface of the slab.

This invention relates in general to pool tables and more particularly to a means for stretching and securing a fabric such as felt on the upper surface of the slate or other playing table top. Prior pool tables stretched the felt covering over the upper surface of the slate or playing top by manual means and secured same by forming and cementing the felt around the outer edges of the top with a suitable adhesive. This construction often fails to maintain the fabric in stretched condition due to the stretch of the fabric or its creep around the edges of the table top. Any looseness of the fabric on the playing surface prevents the playing of a normal game and requires a laborious removal of the table top and re-stretching and cementing of the fabric.

The present invention overcomes the above objections and disadvantages by the provision of a spline and groove means around the inner periphery of the table whereby the fabric is applied to the playing surface after the table top is positioned in the table and the fabric is stretched thereon in all directions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of frame members surrounding the playing top of a pool table with each one thereof having a linear outward and downward depending groove around the inner side thereof in which a marginal portion of the playing fabric is wrapped around splines for insertion in the grooves for stretching and retaining the fabric over the playing surface of the table top.

These and other objects and advantages in one embodiment of the invention are described and shown in the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the playing portion of a pool table in reduced scale.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional side elevation taken through section line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of elements shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical pool table having a felt or fabric playing surface 1 with four corner pockets 2 and two side pockets 3 and a resilient bumper cushions 4 around the inner periphery of the main rail 5 of the table, which table is supported by pedestal legs 6-6, shown fragmentarily.

Referring to FIG. 2, the pedestal legs 6 support the structural member 7 of the table, which in turn supports marginal frame members 8 for forming a rectangle in which a slate or other playing top 9 is confined and resting on the member 7. It is to be noted that the assembly of the table including the members 8 and 9 are completed before the fabric playing surface 1 is applied.

A downward depending oblique grove 10, of uniform width and depth, is cut in the inner top margin of. each member 8 and a marginal width of the periphery of the felt playing surface 1 is folded over splines 11 having uniform width and thickness, as shown.

When the splines are in this position, they are driven with the felt therearound into the grooves 10 which simultaneously stretches the felt over hte table top 9 and locks same into the grooves 10. It is to be noted that the width of the splines 11 must be carefully adjusted to provide locking frictional engagement of the felt in the groove, as shown in FIG. 2.

Since the splines 11 cannot traverse the pockets, the felt is secured around the inner edge of the table top adjacent the pockets by adhesive means.

Upon installation of the felt, or other fabric, a plurality of rigid inner cushion strips 12 are secured around the inner periphery of the rails 5 by screw means 13 slightly overlapping the margin of the table top 9 for preventing upward movement thereof. The cushion 4 is secured to the inner periphery of the frame strips 12 by well known adhesive means and are positioned as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

This invention comprehends modifications in construction within the teachings and scope of the above specification.

Having described my invention, I claim:

I. A pool table having a means forming a frame,

a planar rigid playing top supported in a substantially horizontal position in said frame,

a plurality of marginal retaining frame members secured in said frame around said playing top positioned against the edges thereof,

an outward and downward depending straight groove of uniform cross section around the inner periphery of each of said frame members with the lower edge of the opening of said groove positioned a predetermined small distance below the upper surface of said p,

a playing fabric on the upper surface of said top including a margin on all sides thereof retained in the said groove in each of said frame members with a plurality of spline members tightly inserted in each of said grooves whereby said fabric is frictionally retained in stretched contact with the top surface of said playing top by said spline members.

2. In a pool table of the character described a means forming a frame,

a planar top supported in substantially horizontal position in said frame,

a plurality of fabric retaining frame members secured in said frame around said top and positioned against the edges thereof,

a groove of rectangular cross section depending obliquely downward around the inner periphery of each of said retaining members with the lower edge of the opening of said groove positioned a predetermined small distance below the upper surface of said top,

a fabric on the upper surface of said top including a folded margin on all sides thereof retained in the said groove in each of said members with a plurality of splines tightly inserted between said folded margin in each of said grooves whereby said fabric is frictionally retained in stretched contact with the top surface of said playing top by said splines.

3. The construction recited in claim 2 including a retaining strip of uniform cross section secured on the inner side of each of said frame members and overlapping a margin of said playing top and in tight contact with the fabric thereon for preventing upward movement of said top.

8/1929 Seal 273-7 10/1957 Trovato 2737 X ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner 

